Why Hollywood’s Talk of ‘Inclusion Riders’ Fizzled

When Frances McDormand emphatically spoke of “inclusion riders” at the end of her 2018 Oscars speech, the ensuing publicity and support seemed poised to usher in a new era of inclusion in Hollywood. But the hiring clause has not been widely embraced in Hollywood for the same reason the inclusion rider was created in the first place: an overwhelming lack of accountability and a deflection of responsibility among deal-makers in the industry. The legal clause allows high-profile talent to pressure studios to equitably hire a diverse cast and crew on film, TV and other projects. While showrunners like Ava DuVernay, Ryan Murphy and Lisa Hanawalt have supported underrepresented talent in recent projects like “Queen Sugar,” “Pose” and “Tuca and Bertie,” the rider that made the rounds on social media following the Oscars puts that kind of work into writing to hold studios legally accountable. Also Read: Michael B Jordan Accepts Frances McDormand's Invitation, Will Adopt Inclusion Riders Director Paul Feig, who declined to be interviewed, announced on Twitter that he adopted a version of the rider for his production company in March 2018. The actor and producer Michael B. Jordan’s upcoming “Just Mercy” is the first film his production company...